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SeeNicRun fitness and running blog started nearly 8 years ago when Nicol aka "Nic" wanted to share her running experiences with other runners across the country. It was a great way to connect with other runners. Now that Nic has immersed herself into the fitness world, she has come to share valuable information on overall health and living a healthy lifestyle. With an extensive background in personal and group training, competitive running and lifestyle coaching, you will learn that fitness is not only for the body but it's for the mind and spirit as well!

As a certified personal trainer it is Nic’s job to help people reach their fitness and health goals or they could waste your time and money if you have chosen to settle with the wrong professional. With the numbers of personal trainers nowadays, it is difficult to determine which is best for your needs. It can also be tough to know if you really need the expertise of a trainer or not.

Once you shop around for a personal trainer, there are numerous gyms that can offer you lots of options in personal training solutions and their high-pressure salesmen would also even try to convince you to purchase a package. However, before signing on the dotted line, it is best to make the right decision first to reach all your goals.

Where to Find a Trainer?

There are several ways on how you can find a personal trainer. The most typical way is by visiting a local gym around your place. Such facilities can offer you personal training packages for extra cost. If you don’t like the trainer in a particular gym in your place, you might want to consider referrals from some of your friends or relatives who have already considered hiring a trainer before.

You can also look for personal trainers by referring in your yellow pages, local papers or online. There are several trainers who already have their own websites and advertise their services on local papers. Just make sure that the website is reputable and reliable.

Questions to Ask a Certified Personal Trainer

You should take note that you are hiring a certified personal trainer to do a job for you. Therefore, if you want to get the best value, you should start an interview by asking some questions regarding what you need or prefer.

One of the questions you should ask is about the experience of the personal trainer. It is always important to ask about the experience of a professional as there are cases that the quality of services offered may depend on the experience of an expert. If you don’t want to experience low quality service, you should consider asking about the professional’s experience.

Another question you should ask must be related with the programs being offered. Not all certified personal trainers offer the same programs. Therefore, if you want to consider a particular program that would offer you satisfaction, it would be wise to stick with a trainer that offers a wide variety of programs that would meet your preferences. Asking about the facilities they have may also be a good idea as this can make a difference in terms of comfort.

Overall, hiring a certified personal trainer may be a great way to make your workouts more effective and enjoyable while allowing you to target your specific needs. It is also important to do your homework before you hire some to ensure that you acquire the expertise you are paying for. Then, you are more likely to feel satisfied with the money you have spent and you’ll be one step closer to achieve your fitness and health goals.

For years I have been teased for my love for running by other black women. "Black girls run track but they don't run past 2 or 3 miles. . .are you crazy? What are you trying to prove?" Truth be told, I just love running and it's kept me in amazing shape over the years. I learned quickly that I needed to stay in shape because I have watched women in my family battle with high blood pressure, diabetes, breast cancer and even heart disease. Yeah, I'm crazy and I know that running beats the alternative. So, you have to understand my excitement when I stumbled across these three little words "Black Girls Run" in the October issue of Essence magazine. . .I could not believe that someone develop a group made strictly for Black Girls who RUN!

This week I want you to meet one of the amazing women behind this movement and it really IS a MOVEMENT. . .Ashley Hicks, co-founder of "Black Girls Run". Along with Toni Carey, these two women made a commitment to get Black Girls to RUN and encourage African-American women to make fitness and healthy living a priority in their lives. Why? According to the Centers for Disease Control, 80% of African-American women are overweight. . .80% and BGR! is ready to change that one running step at a time. Ashley, when did you get into running? I played soccer in college and there was a lot of running involved. Soon after I finished playing soccer I continued to run. It started with a couple of miles everyday and after a year or two I decided to run my first 1/2 marathon. The 1/2 marathon has become my favorite event. I've run the Chicago Marathon, the Rock n Roll New Orleans and many others over the past few years. Black Girls Run has become so popular that Women of Color have joined Toni and I by the 100s from all over the country.

What would you tell other Women of Color when it comes to running?
Black women must take care of themselves. Exercise is the best way to prevent many diseases and stop obesity. Running is a great stress reliever, it can be spiritual and help clear your head. Running is a great way to be a part of a group or for you to get some "me" time. Running can easily spill over into other aspects in your life for the better. Once you start accomplishing goals in running, you can accomplish just about anything in life!

What inspires you? I am inspired by older pictures of myself. I often remind myself how far I have come to get into shape and I don't want to go back to the "old Ashley".

BlackGirlsRun.com is a great way to get connect to BGR! running groups allowing you to join forces with other BGR! members in your area. Find a daily running partner, race and volunteer together or just make new friends. GET INVOLVED and be a part of this amazing movement for women of color!

Ashley, it was great meeting you and keep doing what you are doing to influence all women to stay healthy and RUN!

"Hey, how are you? Welcome to my blog! If you see anything that catches your attention and you have a question, feel free to contact me by filling out the box below. Have a great day and hope to hear from you soon!"